U.S. patent application number 17/342334 was filed with the patent office on 2021-11-25 for methods for physiological state determination in body scans.
This patent application is currently assigned to HOLOGIC, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is HOLOGIC, INC.. Invention is credited to Thomas KELLY, Kevin WILSON.
Application Number | 20210361251 17/342334 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005767374 |
Filed Date | 2021-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210361251 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WILSON; Kevin ; et
al. |
November 25, 2021 |
METHODS FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE DETERMINATION IN BODY SCANS
Abstract
A system for measuring muscle mass of a patient has a
dual-energy radiation emission source. A radiation detector is
configured to detect radiation emitted from the dual-energy
radiation emission source passed through the patient. A processor
has a memory with storing instructions, that when executed by the
processor, perform a set of operations. The operations include
receiving radiation detection data; generating a scan
representation; identifying a primary fat target; determining an
amount of fat in the primary fat target; comparing the amount of
fat in the primary fat target to a reference; and based on the
comparison, correcting an estimated amount of lean tissue to
generate a corrected muscle mass value.
Inventors: |
WILSON; Kevin; (Bedford,
MA) ; KELLY; Thomas; (Bedford, MA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HOLOGIC, INC. |
Marlborough |
MA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
HOLOGIC, INC.
MARLBOROUGH
MA
|
Family ID: |
1000005767374 |
Appl. No.: |
17/342334 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16670871 |
Oct 31, 2019 |
11058380 |
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17342334 |
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15553748 |
Aug 25, 2017 |
10499865 |
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PCT/US2016/019562 |
Feb 25, 2016 |
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16670871 |
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62121197 |
Feb 26, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06T 7/0012 20130101;
A61B 6/4035 20130101; A61B 6/482 20130101; A61B 6/5217 20130101;
A61B 6/50 20130101; A61B 6/405 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61B 6/00 20060101
A61B006/00 |
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. A method for identifying a condition in a patient, the method
comprising: detecting, by a detector, a beam of radiation having
passed through the patient; based on the detected beam of
radiation, generating a scan representation including one or more
pixels; identifying, by a processor, a primary fat target in the
scan representation; analyzing, by the processor, at least one
pixel within the scan representation to determine an amount of at
least one of fat and water in the primary fat target; comparing, by
the processor, the determined amount to a reference amount; based
on the comparison, generating, by the processor, a condition
indicator; and displaying the condition indicator on a user
interface.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the condition indicator
corresponds to a localized edema in a region of interest of the
patient.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the condition indicator is
displayed on a user interface operatively coupled to a
densitometer.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the region of interest is an
appendage.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the reference amount is
determined from a set of sample persons.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the primary fat target is a
subcutaneous fat region.
21. A method for identifying a condition in a subject, the method
comprising: irradiating the subject with a radiation from a
radiation source; detecting, by a radiation detector, a subject
radiation from the subject in response to the irradiation;
generating a representation of a region of interest of the subject
based on the detected radiation; identifying, by a processor, a
target tissue within the representation; identifying, by the
processor, a subregion in the representation as representative of
the target tissue; analyzing, by the processor, the subregion to
determine an amount of fat or water in the target tissue;
comparing, by the processor, the determined amount of fat or water
to a reference amount; generating, by the processor, a condition
indicator based on the comparison; and displaying the condition
indicator on a user interface.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting a radiation from the
subject comprises detecting the radiation from the radiation source
and passed through the subject.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein: irradiating the subject with a
radiation from a radiation source comprises irradiating the subject
with a scanned radiation; generating a representation of a region
of interest comprises generating a scan representation, having one
or more pixels, of the region of interest; identifying a subregion
comprises identifying, by the processor, a pixel in the scan
representation representative of the target tissue; and analyzing
the target tissue comprises analyzing the pixel to determine an
amount of fat or water in the target tissue.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying a target tissue
comprises identifying a primary fat target.
25. The method claim 24, wherein identifying a target tissue
comprises identifying a portion of the body that is predominately
not occupied by muscle.
26. The method of claim 21, wherein generating a condition
indicator comprises generating, by the processor, an indicator
corresponding to localized edema.
27. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying the condition
indicator comprises displaying the condition indicator on a user
interface operatively coupled to a densitometer.
28. The method of claim 21, wherein the reference amount comprises
an amount of fat or water determined from a set of sample
subjects.
29. An apparatus, comprising: one or more radiation sources
configured to irradiate a subject with a radiation; one or more
radiation detectors configured to detect a subject radiation from
the subject in response to the irradiation; one or more processors;
and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing
instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,
carry out a process comprising: receive radiation detection data
from the one or more radiation detectors; generating a
representation of a region of interest of the subject based on the
radiation detection data; identifying a target tissue within the
representation; identifying a subregion in the representation as
representative of the target tissue; analyzing the subregion to
determine an amount of fat or water in the target tissue; comparing
the determined amount of fat or water to a reference amount; and
generating a condition indicator based on the comparison.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein identifying a target tissue
comprises identifying a primary fat target.
31. The method claim 30, where identifying a primary fat target
comprises identifying a subcutaneous fat region.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein generating a condition
indicator comprises generating an indicator corresponding to
localized edema.
33. The method of claim 29, wherein: the radiation source comprises
a scanning radiation source; generating a representation of a
region of interest comprises generating a scan representation,
having one or more pixels, of the region of interest; identifying a
subregion comprises identifying a pixel in the scan representation
representative of the target tissue; and analyzing the target
tissue comprises analyzing the pixel to determine an amount of fat
or water in the target tissue.
34. The method of claim 29, wherein the reference amount reference
amount comprises an amount of fat or water determined from a set of
sample subjects.
Description
[0001] This application is being filed on 25 Feb. 2016, as a PCT
International patent application, and claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application 62/121,197, filed Feb. 26, 2015, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety.
[0002] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 14/553,533, filed Nov. 25, 2014, entitled "Bone Densitometer,"
the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein
in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Scanning radiographic equipment differs from conventional
radiography in that it employs a narrowly collimated beam of
radiation, typically x-rays, formed into, for example, a pencil
beam, a narrow fan beam, or a broad fan beam, rather than a broad
area cone beam. The compact beam size allows the replacement of an
image forming sheet of radiographic film, used with conventional
radiographic equipment, with a small area array of electronic
detector elements. Further, the scanning allows the collection of
data over a much broader area than would be practical with a single
x-ray cone beam. The electronic detector elements receiving the
transmitted radiation produce electrical signals which may be
discriminated by pulse height into various pulse height bins and
counted or charge collected and converted to digital values by an
analog-to-digital converter for the later development of an image
or for other processing by computer equipment.
SUMMARY
[0004] The ability to quantify the measurement of the transmitted
radiation, implicit in the digitization, allows not only the
formation of a radiographic "attenuation" image but also the
mathematical analysis of the composition of the attenuating
material by dual energy techniques. Such dual energy techniques
quantitatively compare the attenuation of radiation at two energies
to distinguish, for example, between bone and soft tissue, or fatty
tissue and lean tissue. The information derived from scans of the
body or portions thereof can be utilized to determine various
physiological conditions, such as edema, and to use those
physiological conditions to correct measurements or determinations
of lean tissue, such as muscle. This determination can be used to
accurately diagnose pathological states of the body.
[0005] In one aspect, the technology relates to a system for
measuring muscle mass of a patient, the system having: a
dual-energy radiation emission source; a radiation detector
configured so as to detect radiation emitted from the dual-energy
radiation emission source passed through the patient; at least one
processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the
memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one
processor, perform a set of operations including: receiving
radiation detection data from the radiation detector; based on the
radiation detection data, generating a scan representation;
identifying a primary fat target in the scan representation;
determining an amount of fat in the primary fat target; comparing
the amount of fat in the primary fat target to a reference; and
based on the comparison, correcting an estimated amount of lean
tissue to generate a corrected muscle mass value. In an embodiment,
the primary fat target is in a region of interest and the corrected
muscle mass value is for the region of interest. In another
embodiment, the primary fat target is for a first region of the
patient and the corrected muscle mass value is for a second region
of the patient. In yet another embodiment, the first region is a
torso region of the patient and the second region is an appendage
of the patient.
[0006] In another aspect, the technology relates to a system for
measuring muscle mass of a patient, the system having: a
dual-energy radiation emission source; a radiation detector
configured so as to detect radiation emitted from the dual-energy
radiation emission source passed through the patient; at least one
processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the
memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one
processor, perform a set of operations including: receiving
radiation detection data from the radiation detector; based on the
radiation detection data, generating a scan representation;
estimating an amount of lean tissue in a region of interest;
identifying a primary fat target in the scan representation in the
region of interest; determining an amount of fat tissue in the
primary fat target; determining an amount of lean tissue in the
primary fat target; and correcting the estimated amount of lean
tissue in the region of interest based on the amount of lean tissue
in the primary fat target to generate a corrected muscle mass
value.
[0007] In another aspect, the technology relates to a system for
measuring muscle mass of a patient, the system having: a
dual-energy radiation emission source; a radiation detector
configured so as to detect radiation emitted from the dual-energy
radiation emission source passed through the patient; at least one
processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the
memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one
processor, perform a set of operations including: receiving
radiation detection data from the radiation detector; based on the
radiation detection data, generating a scan representation;
estimating an amount of lean tissue in a region of interest;
identifying a primary fat target in the region of interest in the
scan representation; determining an amount of fat tissue in the
primary fat target; determining an amount of lean tissue in the
primary fat target; using the lean mass and fat mass in the primary
fat target to determine a correction for the hydration of the fat
mass (Ef) and a correction of the hydration of the lean mass (El);
and correcting the estimated amount of lean tissue based on
subtracting the product of Ef and the determined amount of fat
tissue from the product of Ef and the estimated amount of lean
tissue in the region of interest. In an embodiment, the set of
operations further includes comparing the amount of fat tissue in
the primary fat target to a reference amount. In another
embodiment, the set of operations further includes, based on the
comparison, correcting the estimated amount of lean tissue in the
region of interest to generate a corrected muscle mass value. In
yet another embodiment, the region of interest is an appendage. In
still another embodiment, the primary fat target is a subcutaneous
fat region. In another embodiment, the set of operations further
includes: modeling the subcutaneous fat layer; and removing the
subcutaneous fat layer from the estimated amount of lean
tissue.
[0008] In another aspect, the technology relates to a method for
determining muscle mass of a patient, the method including:
detecting, by a radiation detector, a radiation emission from a
densitometer passed through the patient; based on the detected
radiation emission, generating a scan representation of a region of
interest of the patient, the scan representation including one or
more pixels; determining, by a processor, an estimated amount of
lean tissue in the region of interest; identifying, by the
processor, a primary fat target within the region of interest;
identifying, by the processor, a pixel in the scan representation
representative of the primary fat target; analyzing, by the
processor, the pixel representative of the primary fat target to
determine an amount of fat in the primary fat target; comparing, by
the processor, the determined amount of fat to a reference amount;
correcting, by the processor, the estimated amount of lean tissue
based at least in part on the comparison to generate a corrected
muscle mass value for the region of interest of the patient; and
displaying the corrected muscle mass value for the region of
interest. In an embodiment, the method further includes analyzing
the pixel representative of the primary fat target to determine an
amount of water present in the primary fat target. In another
embodiment, the method further includes: determining model of the
primary fat target based on at least a depth of the primary fat
target; and subtracting the modeled primary fat target from the
estimated amount of lean tissue.
[0009] In another aspect, the technology relates to a method for
identifying a condition in a patient, the method including:
detecting, by a detector, a beam of radiation having passed through
the patient; based on the detected beam of radiation, generating a
scan representation including one or more pixels; identifying, by a
processor, a primary fat target in the scan representation;
analyzing, by the processor, at least one pixel within the scan
representation to determine an amount of at least one of fat and
water in the primary fat target; comparing, by the processor, the
determined amount to a reference amount; based on the comparison,
generating, by the processor, a condition indicator; and displaying
the condition indicator on a user interface. In an embodiment, the
condition indicator corresponds to a localized edema in a region of
interest of the patient. In another embodiment, the condition
indicator is displayed on a user interface operatively coupled to a
densitometer. In yet another embodiment, the region of interest is
an appendage. In still another embodiment, the reference amount is
determined from a set of sample persons. In another embodiment, the
primary fat target is a subcutaneous fat region.
[0010] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The same number represents the same element or same type of
element in all drawings.
[0012] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a transverse scanning
densitometer in accordance with one embodiment of the
technology.
[0013] FIG. 2 depicts a top plan view of the table of the
transverse scanning densitometer of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3 depicts a method of generating images during a
transverse scanning procedure in accordance with an embodiment of
the technology.
[0015] FIG. 4 depicts an image from a scan of a relatively fit, but
overweight young male depicting tissue components therein.
[0016] FIG. 5 depicts a five component molecular model of body
composition compared to a three component molecular model.
[0017] FIG. 6A depicts a method of correcting for physiological
condition such as edema.
[0018] FIG. 6B depicts a geometrical model for modeling a primary
fat target.
[0019] FIG. 6C depicts a plot of fat percentage by pixel.
[0020] FIG. 7 depicts a method of identifying a physiological
condition such as edema.
[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates one example of a suitable operating
environment in which one or more of the present examples can be
implemented.
[0022] FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a network in which the various
systems and methods disclosed herein may operate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Non-limiting examples of various systems and methods
utilized for imaging of bodies or parts thereof, and using the
information gathered from said systems and methods for analysis,
include: [0024] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/553,533, filed
Nov. 25, 2014, entitled "Bone Densitometer" [0025] U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,081,582; 7,725,153; 8,792,689; and 9,179,873 [0026] U.S.
Published Patent Application Nos. 2011/0235886 and 2010/0234719
[0027] WEAR, James et al., "CZT detector for dual energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DEXA)", Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4142, Penetrating
Radiation Systems and Applications II, (Dec. 18, 2000), pages
175-188 [0028] LEHMANN, L. A. et al., "Generalized image
combinations in dual KVP digital radiology", Medical Physics, Vol.
8, No. 5, September/October 1981, pages 659-667 [0029] SORENSON,
James A. et al., "Simulation studies of dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry", Medical Physics, Vol. 16. No. 1, January/February
1989, pages 75-80
[0030] The disclosures of each of the above-identified patents and
publications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties.
[0031] Pathologies and physiological conditions described in the
present application are further described in the following: [0032]
LUSTGARTEN, M. S. et al., "Assessment of analytical methods used to
measure changes in body composition in the elderly and
recommendations for their use in Phase II clinical trials", J.
Nutr. Health Aging, May 2011, 15(5): 368-375 [0033] SAYER, Avan
Aihie et al., "New horizons in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and
management of sarcopenia", Age and Ageing Jan. 11, 2013, 42: pages
145-150
[0034] The disclosures of each of the above-identified patents and
publications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties.
[0035] The present technology provides a system and methods
suitable for transverse scanning of at least a portion of a patient
so as to determine the amounts of various tissue (fatty, lean) and
bone in the patient. With this information, accurate determinations
of physiological conditions of the patient can be made. The
technologies described herein may be leveraged with other types of
imaging procedures. Indeed, any imaging procedures that merge
multiple images into a single image may benefit from the described
technologies. Although the imaging systems described below refer
generally to imaging and determining the body composition of soft
tissue e.g. fat and lean, other types of tissues can be detected
and this information leveraged as described herein.
[0036] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a transverse scanning
densitometer 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the
technology. The densitometer 100 may also be referred to herein as
a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) machine. The densitometer
110 includes a support arm 112 having vertically opposed horizontal
arms 114 and 116 separated by vertical bar 118. A horizontal planar
patient support table 120 is disposed between the horizontal arms
114, 116 and extends along a longitudinal axis 122. A belt drive
system 124 of a type well known in the art, allows motion of the
support arm 112 longitudinally along longitudinal axis 122 for the
length of the table 120. In other embodiments, other types of drive
systems, including racks and gears, may be utilized. The
longitudinal axis 122 of the table 120 is generally substantially
parallel to a longitudinal axis of a patient lying on the table
120.
[0037] An x-ray source 126 is within the lower arm 116. The x-ray
source emits a collimated fan beam 128 of x-rays directed upward
through the table 120. The beam 128 is detected or otherwise
received by a linear detector 130. The fan beam 128 is oriented so
that its narrowest extent 128a is along a transverse axis 132 and
its widest extent is along the longitudinal axis 122. The table 120
is generally radiolucent so as to provide a support surface without
significantly affecting the attenuation of the fan beam 128.
[0038] The x-ray source 126 and linear detector 130 may be moved
transversely along the transverse axis 132. The x-ray source 126
and linear detector 130 are configured so as to move along the arms
114 and 116. This movement allows for transverse scans of the
patient on the table 120. Motion of the x-ray source 126 and
detector 130 is synchronized by belt-drive actuation mechanisms 121
as will be well understood to those of ordinary skill in the art.
As with the belt drive system 124 described above, other types of
drive mechanisms can be utilized in place of the belt-drive
actuation mechanisms 124.
[0039] FIG. 2 depicts a top plan view of the table 120 of the
transverse scanning densitometer of FIG. 1. Certain of the
components described above are not depicted in FIG. 2 for clarity.
The fan beam 128 may be scanned over the surface of table 120 and
hence may scan the whole body of patient 134 so as to generate a
series of transversely extending scan images that may be merged
into a single composite image or data set. Alternatively, a
plurality of scan images can be merged into a single composite
image for a particular body structure or part. For example, a first
scan image may encompass, in sequence, areas A1, A2, A3, and A4.
The x-ray source and linear detector, described above, may move
transversely as required, emitting and receiving x-ray energy along
the various sequential areas. At the end of this scan, motion of
the support arm, described above, in the longitudinal direction may
be performed. For example, the support arm may move towards the
feet of the patient, so as to align with a second area of the
patient such that the detector may perform a second scan image. The
second scan image may be in order of areas B4, B3, B2, and B1.
Alternatively, the arm may return to the side of the table 120
where it began the first image scan and scan areas B1, B2, B3, and
B4. Because the transverse width of the patient 134 is
substantially less than the superior to inferior height of the
patient, each scan image, e.g., all of areas 1-4 in each of path A
or path B, is acquired at a time closely proximate to its adjacent
scan images and thus the risk of patient motion and the amount of
patient motion may be substantially reduced. This is one of several
marked advantages over imaging systems that that perform scans
along the longitudinal axis of the patient.
[0040] In other embodiments, transverse scans of particular body
parts may be performed. In one example, a complete transverse scan
of the ribcage may include scans along scan paths E, F, G, and H. A
transverse scan of a single body part that does not extend across
an entire transverse scan path can also be performed. For example,
the left femur may be scanned by imaging areas I1, I2, J2, J1, K1,
and K2. Other transverse scan paths are contemplated.
[0041] The radiation source 126 may be a radioisotope or an x-ray
tube running at constant voltage to produce a poly-energetic
radiation beam. The beam may be subsequently filtered with a K-edge
filter to form two energy modes. Alternatively, the radiation
source 126 may be an x-ray tube run in a switched voltage mode
where the voltage on the x-ray tube is periodically changed from a
high to low voltage shifting the energy spectrum of the produced
x-ray beam. Data is acquired by a broad band detector 130 and is
sequentially high and low energy data as may be used in dual energy
measurements. Other techniques including rotating filter wheels and
the like may be used to produce sequential dual energy beams. The
detector 130 may also include detection elements for detecting high
energy radiation and detection elements for detecting low energy
radiation. A user interface include a display and other
input/output options, such as those discussed below with reference
to FIGS. 8-9, may be operatively coupled to the densitometer 100
for displaying results or other information gathered or generated
by the densitometer, as discussed herein. For instance, the user
interface may be operatively coupled through a network or wired
connection to the densitometer 100.
[0042] FIG. 3 depicts a method 300 of generating images during a
transverse scanning procedure in accordance with an embodiment of
the technology. The method 300 provides for a scanning densitometer
having a radiation source collimated to produce or emit a beam of
radiation directed across a patient to an electronic radiation
detector, the latter of which receives, detects, or otherwise
measures the beam of radiation passing through the patient. A
scanning assembly moves the radiation source and radiation detector
along at least one scan path transverse to a longitudinal axis of a
patient, operation 302. While moving, the radiation source emits
the beam of radiation, operation 304, which is detected by the
radiation detector, operation 306. The detected beam is then
processed so as to form an image, operation 308. Since the beam has
a predefined width, the size of each image is based on the beam
width and a length of travel of the scanning assembly. Any number
of discrete images may be formed as the scanning assembly travels
along the transverse scan path. As the scanning assembly traverses
the scan path, one or more sensors determine a position thereof. If
the end of the scan path is not reached as depicted in operation
310, flow branches to NO and movement of the scanning assembly (as
well as operations 302-308) continue, thus generating a plurality
of images along the scan path. Once the end of the scan path is
reached at operation 410, flow branches YES, where a degree of
image alignment is then determined at operation 312.
[0043] In certain embodiments, the image alignment of adjacent
portions of adjacent images is determined. The size of the adjacent
portions may be determined based on, e.g., number of pixels in the
image, a percentage of the total area of the image, or other
factors. These adjacent portions of the adjacent images may be
adjusted, operation 314, so as to allow different degrees of
overlap to better match structures within the images having various
heights within the patient. The degree of image alignment may
evaluate only the bone portion of the image, only a lean tissue
portion of the image, only a fat tissue portion of the image, or a
combination of any of the three. The method 400 may improve the
ability to match the images by eliminating structure such as soft
tissue whose matching is not critical. In other embodiments,
determining the degree of image alignment may include determining a
structure height based on a known divergence of the radiation beams
and the determined overlap, thus improving image alignment. The
height may be used to scale each scan image prior to merging
adjacent scan images. Thus, the system and method described herein
may employ the difference in overlap between adjacent scan images
to correct the magnification of the image. Thereafter, the adjacent
images are merged at overlapping areas, operation 316, to form a
composite image that includes all of the combined adjacent images.
Prior to merging, the images may be weighted so as to eliminate any
disproportionate influence of redundant data in the images.
Regardless, the proposed technologies do not rely on weighting
alone, as such methods may produce a blurring of the merged image.
Blurring of the image may be reduced or eliminated by correcting
overlap of the images, as described herein. This composite image
has an overlap corresponding to a best matching of the plurality of
scan images. In operation 318, the composite image may then be
stored, displayed, and/or otherwise utilized for marking and
analysis of tissue, as described herein.
[0044] The patient support may support a supine patient with the
patient's head and feet lying along a longitudinal axis and the
scanning assembly may move the radiation source and electronic
detector along a series of transverse scan paths substantially
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis across the patient to
acquire the scan images. Such a method includes operations similar
those depicted in FIG. 3. As the end of a scan path is reached, the
system may then traverse a second transverse scan path that is
substantially parallel to the first transverse scan path. Images
obtained along the second transverse scanned path are processed as
described in FIG. 3, operations 312-316. However, degree of image
alignment may be determined for both of adjacent images in the same
scan path, as well as adjacent images in adjacent scan paths. Such
processing can produce a master composite image that includes all
images in all scan paths, which may then be utilized as described
herein.
[0045] Images obtained from various imaging systems, such as those
referred to herein, can divide the body into three components: fat
tissue, lean ("lipid-free soft tissue") tissue, and bone mineral
content ("BMC"). Systems that emit dual energies during an imaging
or scanning sequence may generally be utilized to identify a
maximum of two of those components at a time. For example, in areas
of the body where bone is primarily located, BMC may be identified
as described generally herein. In areas without bone, fat tissue
and lean may be identified. Similarly, in primary fat regions that
are substantially without lean tissue, such as subcutaneous fat
regions, fat tissue and non-fat material can be identified. In
those primary fat regions, the non-fat material is principally
composed of water.
[0046] As an example, FIG. 4 depicts a scan of a relatively fit,
but overweight young male depicting such components therein. The
different stippling and hashed lines identify fat tissue (hash
lines, 402), lean tissue (stippling, 404), and BMC (white, 406). A
sample colored version of such a similar scan can be found in Carla
M. M. Prado, Steven B. Heymsfield, Lean Tissue Imaging: A New Era
for Nutritional Assessment and Intervention, JPEN J Parenter
Enteral Nutr. 2014; 38(8):940-953, the disclosure of which is
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Simplifying a
human body into three components or categories, however, is an
imperfect approximation as the human body is complex. Such an
approximation is helpful, however, in making some determinations,
such as relative locations of lean tissue and bones, bone
densities, and so on. The approximation does have limitations,
however, in using the above referenced systems to identify other
physiological conditions or properly determine tissue amounts in
patients having those physiological conditions. For instance, FIG.
5 shows some of the complexities and potential errors in
approximating tissue types into only three categories. Additional
information regarding FIG. 5 can be found in IAEA Human Health
Series No. 15 "Dual Energy X-ray for bone density and body
composition assessment" found at
www.iaea.org/Publications/index.html, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0047] In approximating an amount of lean tissue, it is useful to
understand that lean tissue is composed primarily of water. In a
patient with a fairly stable level of hydration, the lean tissue
determination discussed above works reasonably well as a surrogate
for muscle mass. Various pathological conditions and situations,
however, cause the lean tissue determination to no longer be a good
surrogate for muscle mass. For example, edema in appendages of the
patient, such as the legs and arms, may cause a significant
divergence from lean tissue determinations and muscle mass locally
in the appendage. When analyses or treatments of other ailments
rely on the lean tissue determination, those analyses will
similarly be inaccurate due to the error. For instance, the error
is particularly an issue in the diagnosis of Sarcopenia, which is a
degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, and strength.
Sarcopenia is a component of the frailty syndrome and is associated
with aging and other pathologies. Proper diagnosis of Sarcopenia
depends on an accurate measurement of appendicular muscle mass in
aged persons. This same population, however, can commonly have
edema, thus confounding the measurements obtained by imaging
systems such as those referenced and described herein.
[0048] The technologies further described herein allow for a more
accurate measurement of muscle mass, including in the legs and
arms, even in the presence of edema. Within the body, areas that
are primarily fat tissue without overlapping muscle tissue can be
analyzed using the dual energy radiation techniques above to
identify an amount of fat tissue and an amount of water,
potentially representative of edema. In most individuals, the body
has a layer of nearly pure fat cells just under the skin, termed
"subcutaneous fat." In the projected image of FIG. 4, the
subcutaneous fat portion 408 is substantially free of muscle. The
subcutaneous fat is often a good primary fat target for analysis.
The amount of water or degree of edema is determined based on an
analysis of the primary fat target, and that determination is used
to correct a lean tissue measurement for edema or water content. Of
note, fat cells in fat tissue are not 100% lipid because they
contain water and other non-lipid components.
[0049] In an example, a correction for the presence of edema may be
obtained by determining an amount or percentage of fat in the
subcutaneous fat layer in an appendage of the patient, such as an
arm or a leg. The amount of fat or percentage of fat determination
is compared to a predetermined or predefined standard. Such
standards may be, for example, the expected fat percentage or
amount of fat of the subcutaneous fat from an individual known to
not have edema, or the fat percentage or fat amount measured in
another part of the body of the same patient, such as the
subcutaneous fat of the abdominal area. The standard amount of fat
or fat percentage standard is referred to herein as the "reference
amount".
[0050] Based on the comparison of the fat amount or fat percentage
for the particular patient to the reference amount, a correction
for edema or other physiological conditions may be made to the lean
component of the measurement in the appendage from which the
primary fat target was located. For example, lean mass for a
particular appendage could be corrected based on the difference of
the measured fat percentage of the patient's subcutaneous tissue to
the reference amount percentage of fat. In some examples, the
correction is a multiplicative factor times the lean mass of the
limbs based on a functional relationship between the measured fat
percentage and the reference amount fat percentage. For instance,
the following equation provides one example for correcting a lean
tissue determination:
L.sub.C=f(F.sub.p,F.sub.S).times.L.sub.E (1)
where: [0051] L.sub.C is the corrected lean tissue amount; [0052]
F.sub.p is the fat amount or fat percentage for the primary fat
target of the patient; [0053] F.sub.S is the standard amount of fat
or the standard fat percentage; and [0054] L.sub.E is the estimated
lean tissue amount prior to correction. The corrected lean tissue
amount may also be referred to herein as muscle mass. In a
particular embodiment, the equation used to correct the estimated
lean mass amount is as follows:
[0054] L C = F p F S .times. L E ( 2 ) ##EQU00001##
Other equations and relationships to correct the estimated lean
tissue amount are also contemplated.
[0055] FIG. 6 depicts a method 600 for determining muscle mass of a
patient by correcting an estimated lean mass. At operation 602,
radiation emitted from a densitometer or dual-energy radiation
device is detected. For instance, the radiation may be a beam that
has passed through a patient and is detected by a detector, such as
linear detector 130 as described above. Generally, imaging systems
can measure fat percentage and total mass, or fat and lean mass, on
a pixel-by-pixel basis, but other area measurements, such as square
centimeters, may also be utilized. Based on the detected radiation
emission, a scan representation is generated at operation 604. The
scan representation may be for a particular region of interest of
the patient, such as appendage like an arm or a leg or portions of
an arm or leg. For example, because edema is normally present in
the lower appendages, the area of interest may be the portion of
the leg below the knee. The scan representation may also be of the
whole body of the patient, similar to the scan representation in
FIG. 4. In some examples, the scan representation may not be an
image, but another type of representation, such as a chart, graph,
or other model.
[0056] At operation 606, a primary fat target is identified in the
scan representation. The primary fat target may be any portion of
the body that is predominately not occupied by muscle. For example,
as discussed above, a subcutaneous fat region of the patient is a
suitable primary fat target. Identifying the primary fat target may
also include identifying at least one pixel in the scan
representation that is representative of the primary fat region.
For example, in the scan representation depicted in FIG. 4, the
primary fat target may be the subcutaneous fat region 408, as
identified in the figure. Each pixel forming the representation of
the subcutaneous fat region may be identified in operation 606, or
a subset of those pixels may be determined. At operation 608, the
primary fat target may be modeled to determine a mass, volume, or
other characteristic of the primary fat target. Additionally, a
total water or lean tissue level of the primary fat target may be
determined as part of operation 608. Of note, the lean tissue
within the primary fat target is predominately water rather than
muscle. The primary fat target may be modeled by determining a
depth or average depth of the primary fat target from the scan
representation. Alternatively or additionally, the depth of fat may
be extrapolated so as to generate a substantially annular volume of
the primary fat target (e.g. 360.degree. around the appendage).
Other detailed examples of modeling visceral fat are provided in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,725,153 and U.S. Patent Publications 2010/0234,719
and U.S. 2011/0235,886, the disclosures of which are hereby
incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
[0057] As an example, FIG. 6B illustrates geometry related to
modeling a primary fat target. The outline of the region of
interest is approximated by an ellipse 630 and the inner outline of
the primary fat target is approximated by a concentric inner
ellipse 640. The primary fat target is between the two ellipses. As
discussed above, where the subcutaneous fat region is the
subcutaneous fat region of an appendage, it generally wraps around
the appendage, similar to an ellipse. Let ray i be the line
connecting source point (x.sub.s,y.sub.s) of a fan beam of x-rays
to detector point (x.sub.d,y.sub.d). The total length of
intersection of the line with the concentric ellipses is given
by
L=L.sub.1s+L.sub.2sL.sub.v (3)
Where L.sub.1s+L.sub.2s=L.sub.s, the total length of the line i
through subcutaneous fat, and L.sub.v is the length of the same
line i through the tissue surrounded by the subcutaneous fat. The
pertinent line lengths can be calculated or estimated as discussed
below, or in some other way based on known parameters such as the
positions of the source and detector relative to ellipses 630 and
640.
[0058] The fat percentage (% Fat.sub.vi) in the central region for
the raypath that is along line i and is from the source focal spot
to a detector position that corresponds to a dual energy x-ray
measurement for a pixel in the image will be
% Fat.sub.vi=(total % fat).sub.iL.sub.v/L (4)
The quantity (total % Fat).sub.i for use in Equation 4 is estimated
from the dual energy x-ray measurements for the raypath using known
DXA processing.
[0059] The inner ellipse 52 may be defined by the major axes
a.sub.x and a.sub.y and the outer ellipse defined by b.sub.x and
b.sub.y. The parameters can then be estimated from a profile plot
of the fat percentage vs. pixel number as illustrated in FIG. 6C,
with any needed accounting for geometric factors related to using a
fan beam of x-rays. The total lengths of the subcutaneous fat
regions (L.sub.1s, L.sub.2s) may be calculated based on:
L.sub.1s+L.sub.2s=L- {square root over
((x.sub.2-x.sub.1).sup.2+(y.sub.2-y.sub.1).sup.2)} (5)
The equation may be solved using a number of mathematical
techniques, including those discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,725,153.
For example, the following sets of equations representing the
right-hand side of the Equation 5 can be used to solve for the
lengths based on data in a plot such as the one in FIG. 6C.
{ x 2 = x s + t 2 .times. d s y 2 = y s + t 2 .times. d y x 1 = x s
+ t 1 .times. d x y 1 = y s + t 1 .times. d y Eq . Set .times.
.times. 6 { t 1 = ( - R + P ) ) / F t 2 = ( - R + P ) ) / F Eq .
Set . .times. 7 { P = R 2 + F - FG R = d x ' .times. x s ' + d y '
.times. y s ' F = ( d x ' ) 2 + ( d y ' ) 2 G = ( x s ' ) 2 + ( y s
' ) 2 Eq . Set . .times. 8 { x s ' = x s a x y s ' = y s a y d x '
= d x a x d ' = d y a y d x = x d - x s d y = y d - y s Eq . Set .
.times. 9 ##EQU00002##
[0060] In addition the width of the anterior and posterior sections
of a subcutaneous fat region may be determined by analyzing the
representative scan, such as the one shown in FIG. 4, as discussed
below. Such widths could then be used to approximate the ellipse
shown in FIG. 6B through various mathematical techniques.
[0061] FIG. 6C illustrates a fat percentage estimated from DXA
measurements for pixel positions in a DXA image. The horizontal
axis is the pixel number in the DXA image across the width of a
region of interest of the patient. The vertical axis is the fat
percentage. The vertical axis represents the total fat percentage
for the respective pixel positions, and thus typically includes the
entire region of interest, such as an appendage. For instance, it
is the percentage of fat in the tissue that is along the x-ray beam
path from the source to the x-ray detector element(s) that
corresponds to a pixel in the image. The shoulders of the curve
between 650 and 660 and 670 and 680 represent a subcutaneous fat
region for the patient. Where the pixel width is known, the width
of the subcutaneous region may be determined. In addition, the
percentage of lean tissue for the subcutaneous region may also be
determined from the plot in FIG. 6C by subtracted from the
displayed fat percentage as the subcutaneous fat region should only
include fat tissue and lean tissue.
[0062] Returning to FIG. 6A, at operation 610, an estimated amount
of lean tissue is determined. The estimated amount of the lean
tissue may also be based in part on the primary fat target model
generated in operation 608.
[0063] As an example, the width of the primary fat target, such as
the subcutaneous fat region, is determined at each height (H) of
the limb on the posterior (p) and anterior (a) sides of the limb
from the far extremity, such as toes or fingers or a foot or a
hand, to the trunk. For example, for a leg, the width of the
subcutaneous fat region changes between the ankle, the hip, or the
knee. As such, measurements or estimates of the width of the fat
layer may be taken at different heights to more accurately predict
the shape and overall size of the subcutaneous fat region. The
width of the subcutaneous fat region on the posterior side for a
particular level may be represented as w.sub.s.sup.p(H), and the
width of the subcutaneous fat region on the posterior side for a
particular level may be represented as w.sub.s.sup.a(H). In some
embodiments, the width of the limb (w.sub.l(H)) at a particular
level is measured from the image. In such embodiments, the width of
the skeletal muscle (w.sub.m(H)) at each level may be estimated by
the following equation:
w.sub.m(H)=w.sub.l(L)-[w.sub.s.sup.p(H)+w.sub.s.sup.a(H)] (10)
The lean tissue of the skeletal muscle at level L is can be
estimated with a DXA machine by analyzing the pixels representing
the skeletal muscle. By including only the skeletal muscle pixels
in determining the lean mass, the lean mass estimation is more
likely to be representative of muscle mass.
[0064] Additionally, the fat mass of the limb at a given level may
be approximated by an annulus of an ellipse, as a DXA machine is
capable of measuring thickness (t) and widths with substantial
accuracy. Based on the determined or measured widths or
thicknesses, the subcutaneous fat can be modeled as a ring of fat
encompassing the skeletal muscle.
[0065] In another example, determining an estimated amount of lean
tissue may include removing the modeled primary fat target prior to
analyzing the scan representation to determine an estimated amount
of lean tissue. For instance, due to the subcutaneous fat wrapping
around the skeletal muscle, the lean tissue (primarily water) may
be included in the total lean mass estimation because the radiation
passes through the whole region of interest. Accordingly, removing
the modeled subcutaneous fat region from the analysis improves the
estimation of muscle mass. Similarly, determining an estimated
amount of lean tissue may also include removing the amount of water
or lean tissue determined to be in the primary fat target, as that
water or lean tissue may otherwise be inadvertently included in the
lean mass determination and eventually in an estimation of muscle
mass.
[0066] At operation 610, pixels of the primary fat target are
analyzed to determine fat content within the primary fat target. In
some embodiments, a single pixel within the primary fat target
portion of scan representation may be analyzed to determine an
amount of fat or a fat percentage for that pixel. In other
embodiments, additional pixels representative of the primary fat
target are also analyzed to determine an amount of fat or a fat
percentage for those pixels. In such embodiments, the fat amount
for each pixel may be summed and/or the fat percentages for the
pixels may be averaged to determine an overall fat percentage for
the primary fat target.
[0067] Once a fat amount or fat percentage for the primary fat
target has been determined, that fat amount or fat percentage is
compared to a reference amount at operation 614. As discussed
above, the reference amount may be determined from a sample of
patients not having edema. The reference amount may also be from
another portion of the patient where edema is known to not be
present. For example, in many elderly patients, subcutaneous fat
may be located about the torso or midsection of the patient, while
the appendages lack subcutaneous fat. Under such circumstances, the
primary fat target may be proximate the torso and compared to
reference amounts obtained from the appendages. Other reference
amounts may be determined so as to represent a relatively healthy
individual without edema. The reference amount may also be from a
previous scan of the patient when it was known that the patient did
not have edema.
[0068] Based on the comparison in operation 614, the estimated
amount of lean tissue is corrected in operation 616. By correcting
the estimated amount of lean tissue, a more accurate representation
of the muscle mass for the patient is generated. The correction to
the estimated amount of lean tissue may be accomplished by using
equations (1) or (2) discussed above, or variations thereof. Other
suitable correction factors based on the comparison in operation
614 are also contemplated. For instance, the lean tissue estimation
may be corrected based on the following equation:
(w.sub.s.sup.p(L)+w.sub.s.sup.a(L)).times.w.sub.m(L).times.E
(11)
where E is an edema correction derived by comparing a fat
percentage of the primary fat target to a reference amount, such as
a value derived by measuring a population of persons known not to
have edema or a value obtained by measuring fat somewhere else on
the person which has no edema or at least much less edema than the
appendage being measured.
[0069] In some embodiments, the comparison operation 614 may not be
performed, and a correction to the lean mass estimation may be made
without reliance on such a comparison. For example, a correction
for the hydration of the fat mass (E.sub.f) and a correction of the
hydration of the lean mass (E.sub.l) may be utilized. The
correction values E.sub.f and E.sub.l are derived from a
determination of the fat percentage or fat amount of the primary
fat target. The muscle mass (MM) may be determined according to the
following equation:
MM=M.sub.1-M.sub.fE'.sub.f (12)
where M.sub.l is the estimated lean mass, M.sub.f is the estimated
fat mass as determined by the DXA machine, and E'.sub.f is a
percentage of lean mass in the primary fat target. In some
embodiments, a correction of the hydration of the lean mass
(E.sub.l) may be utilized. The following equation is representative
of such an embodiment:
MM=E.sub.1(M.sub.1-M.sub.fE'.sub.f)=M.sub.lE.sub.l-M.sub.fE.sub.f
(13)
In embodiments, the correction for the hydration of the fat mass
(E.sub.f) and the correction of the hydration of the lean mass
(E.sub.l) may be proportional to one another. In embodiments where
the hydration of the fat mass is similar to the hydration of the
muscle mass, both E.sub.f and E.sub.l may be represented by
E'.sub.f. In such embodiments, the muscle mass may be determined by
the following equation:
MM=M.sub.lE'.sub.f-M.sub.f(E'.sub.f).sup.2 (14)
[0070] FIG. 7 depicts a method of identifying a physiological
condition (e.g., edema). At operation 702, radiation emitted from a
densitometer or dual-energy radiation device is detected. For
instance, the radiation may be a beam that has passed through a
patient a detected by a detector, such as linear detector 130 as
described above. Generally, imaging systems can measure fat
percentage and total mass, or fat and lean mass, on a
pixel-by-pixel basis, but other area measurements, such as square
centimeters, may also be utilized. Based on detected radiation
emission, a scan representation is generated at operation 704. The
scan representation may be for a particular region of interest of
the patient, such as appendage like an arm or a leg. The scan
representation may also be of the whole body of the patient,
similar to the scan representation in FIG. 4. In some embodiments,
the scan representation may not be an image, but another type of
representation, such as a chart, graph, or other model.
[0071] At operation 706, a primary fat target is identified in the
scan representation. The primary fat target may be any portion of
the body that is predominately not occupied by muscle. For example,
as discussed above, a subcutaneous fat region of the patient is a
suitable primary fat target. Identifying the primary fat target may
also include identifying at least one pixel in the scan
representation that is representative of the primary fat region.
For example, in the scan representation depicted in FIG. 4, the
primary fat target may be the subcutaneous fat region as identified
in the figure. Each pixel forming the representation of the
subcutaneous fat region may be identified in operation 706, or a
subset of those pixels may be identified.
[0072] At operation 708, pixels of the primary fat target are
analyzed to determine fat content or water content within the
primary fat target. The fat content may be a fat amount or a fat
percentage. The water content may be a water amount or a water
percentage. In some embodiments, a single pixel within the primary
fat target portion of scan representation may be analyzed to
determine a fat content or a water content for that pixel. In other
embodiments, additional pixels representative of the primary fat
target are also analyzed to determine a fat content or water
content for those pixels. In such embodiments, the fat content or
water content for each pixel may be summed and/or the fat
percentages for the pixels may be averaged to determine an overall
fat percentage for the primary fat target.
[0073] The fat content or water content determined in operation 708
is then compared to a reference amount at operation 710. As
discussed above, the reference amount may be determined from a
sample of patients not having the physiological condition. The
reference amount may also be from another portion of the patient
known not to display the condition (e.g., as described above in
regard to subcutaneous fat in the torso area, but not appendages).
Other reference amounts may be determined so as to represent a
relatively healthy individual without the physiological condition.
The reference amount may also be from a previous scan of the
patient when it was known that the patient did not have the
physiological condition.
[0074] Based on the results of the comparison, a condition
indicator is generated at operation 712. The condition indicator
indicates whether the patient has the physiological condition being
tested. For example, if the results of the comparison at operation
710 reveal that the fat content in the primary fat target is below
the reference fat amount, a condition indicator may be generated
indicating that the patient has edema. In some embodiments, the fat
content must be a certain amount below the reference fat amount
before a condition indicator indicating edema will be generated.
For instance, the edema condition indicator may only be generated
if the fat content is a standard deviation below the reference fat
amount. Where the primary fat target is being tested for only a
region of interest, the condition indicator indicates that the
patient has localized edema in the region of interest. Similarly,
if the water content is above the reference water amount, a
condition indicator may be generated indicating that the patient
has edema. In some embodiments, the water content must be a certain
amount above the reference water amount before a condition
indicator indicating edema will be generated. For instance, the
edema condition indicator may only be generated if the fat content
is a standard deviation above the reference water amount. The
condition indicator may be a screen item in a user interface or
other indicator suitable to convey the physiological condition of
the patient.
[0075] As discussed above, the method 600 and the method 700 may be
performed for a region of interest or for the whole body of the
patient. In embodiments where the methods are performed for the
region of interest, the primary fat target and the pertinent lean
tissue are located within the same region of interest, such as an
arm of the patient. In embodiments where the methods are performed
for the whole body, the primary fat target and the pertinent lean
tissue may be located in any portion of the body. In some patients,
however, the patient may not have a suitable primary fat target in
the region of interest. For example, elderly patients may have
minimal to no subcutaneous fat in their legs. For such patients,
the primary fat target may be the subcutaneous fat of the abdomen,
and the results obtained from analysis of the abdominal fat may be
used to correct an estimated lean tissue amount in a separate
region of interest, such as the leg, as described above.
[0076] Other techniques to correct lean mass estimations for edema
may be based on the shape of the soft tissue versus, for example,
the expected shape of the same tissue. That is, a limb where edema
is present will look swollen, as compared to a limb where edema is
not present. Bone landmarks may also be used as a basis for
correction. For example, the position of knee relative to the outer
contours of the leg may indicate the presence of edema as well.
[0077] Other techniques for correcting for the presence of edema
include measuring the soft tissue area around the ankles, outside
of the bone. This measurement may then be compared to the shape of
the thigh, to detect and correct for swelling due to edema. In
other techniques, multi-frequency bioelectric impedance may be used
to measure the water content of the legs and/or arms, and use that
to make an edema correction. Still another technique utilizes
"water dilution," which can very accurately measure total body
water, so as to perform an overall hydration correction to the lean
mass. In water dilution, a patient drinks a known quantity of
deuterated water, and after a suitable time for this to disperse
through the body, a saliva sample is taken and the percentage of
deuterated water of the saliva sample, along with the patient's
mass, can be used to measure total water hydration.
[0078] FIG. 8 illustrates one example of a suitable operating
environment 500 in which one or more of the present embodiments can
be implemented. This operating environment may be incorporated
directly into a scanning system, or may be incorporated into a
computer system discrete from, but used to control, a scanning
system such as described herein. This is only one example of a
suitable operating environment and is not intended to suggest any
limitation as to the scope of use or functionality. Other
well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations
that can be suitable for use include, but are not limited to,
personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices,
multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, programmable
consumer electronics such as smart phones, network PCs,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, tablets, distributed computing
environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and
the like.
[0079] In its most basic configuration, operating environment 800
typically includes at least one processing unit 802 and memory 804.
Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device,
memory 804 (storing, among other things, instructions to perform
the image acquisition and processing methods disclosed herein) can
be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory,
etc.), or some combination of the two. This most basic
configuration is illustrated in FIG. 8 by dashed line 806. Further,
environment 800 can also include storage devices (removable, 808,
and/or non-removable, 810) including, but not limited to, magnetic
or optical disks or tape. Similarly, environment 800 can also have
input device(s) 814 such as touch screens, keyboard, mouse, pen,
voice input, etc., and/or output device(s) 816 such as a display,
speakers, printer, etc. Also included in the environment can be one
or more communication connections 812, such as LAN, WAN, point to
point, Bluetooth, RF, etc.
[0080] Operating environment 800 typically includes at least some
form of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any
available media that can be accessed by processing unit 802 or
other devices comprising the operating environment. By way of
example, and not limitation, computer readable media can comprise
computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage
media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and
non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for
storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
includes, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory
technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical
storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, solid state storage, or any
other tangible medium which can be used to store the desired
information. Communication media embodies computer readable
instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a
modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport
mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term
"modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of its
characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode
information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,
communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or
direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,
infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the
above should also be included within the scope of computer readable
media.
[0081] The operating environment 800 can be a single computer
operating in a networked environment using logical connections to
one or more remote computers. The remote computer can be a personal
computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other
common network node, and typically includes many or all of the
elements described above as well as others not so mentioned. The
logical connections can include any method supported by available
communications media. Such networking environments are commonplace
in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the
Internet.
[0082] In some embodiments, the components described herein
comprise such modules or instructions executable by computer system
800 that can be stored on computer storage medium and other
tangible mediums and transmitted in communication media. Computer
storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and
non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for
storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. Combinations of any of
the above should also be included within the scope of readable
media. In some embodiments, computer system 800 is part of a
network that stores data in remote storage media for use by the
computer system 800.
[0083] FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a network 900 in which the
various systems and methods disclosed herein may operate. In
embodiments, a client device, such as client device 902, may
communicate with one or more servers, such as servers 904 and 906,
via a network 908. In embodiments, a client device may be a laptop,
a personal computer, a smart phone, a PDA, a netbook, or any other
type of computing device, such as the computing device in FIG. 8.
In embodiments, servers 904 and 906 may be any type of computing
device, such as the computing device illustrated in FIG. 8. Network
908 may be any type of network capable of facilitating
communications between the client device and one or more servers
904 and 906. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited
to, LANs, WANs, cellular networks, and/or the Internet.
[0084] In embodiments, the various systems and methods disclosed
herein may be performed by one or more server devices. For example,
in one embodiment, a single server, such as server 904 may be
employed to perform the systems and methods disclosed herein, such
as the method for scanning and image processing. Client device 902
may interact with server 904 via network 908. In further
embodiments, the client device 902 may also perform functionality
disclosed herein, such as scanning and image processing, which can
then be provided to servers 904 and/or 906.
[0085] In alternate embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed
herein may be performed using a distributed computing network, or a
cloud network. In such embodiments, the methods and systems
disclosed herein may be performed by two or more servers, such as
servers 904 and 906. Although a particular network embodiment is
disclosed herein, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the
systems and methods disclosed herein may be performed using other
types of networks and/or network configurations.
[0086] The embodiments described herein can be employed using
software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware to
implement and perform the systems and methods disclosed herein.
Although specific devices have been recited throughout the
disclosure as performing specific functions, one of skill in the
art will appreciate that these devices are provided for
illustrative purposes, and other devices can be employed to perform
the functionality disclosed herein without departing from the scope
of the disclosure.
[0087] This disclosure described some embodiments of the present
technology with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
only some of the possible embodiments were shown. Other aspects
can, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,
these embodiments were provided so that this disclosure was
thorough and complete and fully conveyed the scope of the possible
embodiments to those skilled in the art.
[0088] Although specific embodiments were described herein, the
scope of the technology is not limited to those specific
embodiments. One skilled in the art will recognize other
embodiments or improvements that are within the scope of the
present technology. Therefore, the specific structure, acts, or
media are disclosed only as illustrative embodiments. Embodiments
according to the invention may also combine elements or components
of those that are disclosed in general but not expressly
exemplified in combination, unless otherwise stated herein. The
scope of the technology is defined by the following claims and any
equivalents therein.
* * * * *
References